Shane O’Neill, still only 19, continues to be a bright spot for a stout Rapids backline this season. In his seven starts for Colorado, the team is undefeated — with four shutouts.

But he wasn’t pegged to be a defender. Oscar Pareja had him in mind as a midfielder — until Tab Ramos convinced him otherwise.

“I have to give credit to Tab Ramos, who saw it,” Pareja said of the U.S. Under-20 national team coach. “I didn’t see it. I saw Shane as a midfielder. But Tab saw him as a defender. And it’s working for us now.”

“I don’t hesitate to play him in any game,” Pareja added.

O’Neill is scheduled to leave Colorado to join the U.S. team on June 7th, he said, for the U20 World Cup in Turkey. But instead, he’ll leave Sunday to join them in France.

So if O’Neill was moved, what about Rapids 19-year-old Dillon Serna? He’s with Ramos now on the U.S. U20 team.

Serna is listed as a midfielder with the Rapids, like O’Neill once was, but he also plays as a defender for Ramos.

“With Dillon, what we agreed with is them playing him at left back to gain some aggressiveness,” Pareja said. “If he can add that to his game, great.

“But we see him as an offensive player.”

So don’t count on Serna moving to the backline in Colorado.

“If he grows at that position, great,” Pareja said. “But I think it will be difficult for him (in MLS). I think he can develop as an attacking-minded player. All these things make him grow. He’s adapting to the game.”

** Martin Rivero didn’t train with the Rapids on Thursday after re-injuring his foot against Chivas USA last week. It’s the same foot he broke in the preseason that kept him off the field for four months.

Rivero did say Thursday his foot is “better” and he wasn’t limping. Pareja said he’s questionable vs Dallas.

“I saw Martin in the nursery this morning and was glad that he’s close to being back,” Pareja said Thursday.

Will Rivero play at all Saturday against Dallas?

“Maybe,” Pareja said.

** Tony Cascio started for the Rapids in their U.S. Open Cup loss at Orlando City, but he’s gone as an unused sub in Colorado’s past five MLS games.

Pareja said waiting for Cascio to re-gain his form.

“Tony is coming along. Tony is getting back in his form. We’re being patient with Tony,” Pareja said.

“Last year, he played 29 games and 18 starts. He was a big contribution to the team. This year, we’re waiting for a bit more from Tony. And he knows. But we’re patient, because Tony is a great player.

“I don’t think his game, the collective part, is the best right now. But we’re pushing. Tony knows.”

** On the firing of Chelis by Chivas USA, Oscar Pareja said José Luis Sánchez Solá’s dismissal, however unexpected, is part of the coaching carousel in MLS.

“It’s a coach that I respect a lot. He’s a coach that I appreciate,” Pareja said of Sanchez Sola. “The time I spent with him in the preseason, I think he’s a great guy. But with him, it’s like any other coach: We all have the language coming in the front door that we need to be ready all the time.

“It’s a cruel game.”

But was Chelis’ firing fair?

“That’s not me to judge that,” Pareja said. “Everybody can handle their franchise how they want it. Some franchises have more patience than others, I guess. What we have to do as coaches is just work and give our best and wait for the best results. But this is a business and results have to come.”